posted February 17, 2008 06:58
________________________ Many of you know that I worked in the US Auto industry, I do not disclose who because of many nondisclosure agreements I had to sign, and also they are paying on Patents and Copyrights from upgrades to Machining Software. But here is the rest of the story. When I hired in there were twelve thousand people working at a Eight Plant complex that covered about three square miles. It is now down to about twenty-five hundred and getting smaller. I recieved this missive last night, I edited small items so as not to disclose where I worked.

There is nothing left in Plant 6. I'm the last electrician assigned to 6. I'm disconnecting and shipping select equipment to Canada, Mexico or to the engineers research lab. Damn, this sucks! I feel like I'm putting my dog down at the vets. The plan is to build a wooden wall between 6 and 8, weld all outside doors shut and turn out the lights. The taxes are much lower once the building is abandoned.

We had a meeting Friday and the Company is planning to let all "contract employees" go in 2 weeks, plus do permanent lay-offs for about 25 skilled trades. They will have no recall rights to our plant, but supposedly will be in the (Automakers) pool. They will be available for the new SPO plant (Center RD. Old Plant 7).

Most of Plant 2 has been moved into the old Segway Room or just down the aisle from it. Dort Highway is being sold for scrap steel and will be leveled. Once it is flat, (Automaker) will reclaim the property. Wonder what they'll do with it?

So this huge site is now down to two operating plants and one shuttered one. During WWII the trigger for one of the devices used against Japan was built in Plant 2 and many other War Goods. I knew some of the old timers that worked on the trigger, they are all gone now, as many of my co-workers that secummed to the hazzards of breathing the ever present fumes from heavy industry.

I had worked in all Eight Plants, now there is only Seven and Eight still making parts. The plants were numbered in order of comming on line.

posted February 17, 2008 10:07
Management like to blame this on the workers being too highly paid.

Bullshit.

The major employer in the town I grew up in was a GM plant, I worked there myself as a teenager, helped pay my way through university. My three strongest impressions of that time are heat, noise, and total amazement that a company run so badly could still be in business.

The plant closed - "unprofitable". The site was sold, and re-opened as a Toyota plant. Same plant, same workers, same pay scales, but Toyota seem to be able to make a profit where GM couldn't.

Perhaps Toyota's 'secret' is that they build cars people want to buy.

Time passes...

There was an article in the aussie press last week that GM will be making utes ("utility vehicles" - "pickup-trucks" to merkins) in Australia for export to the US. The ute was an aussie invention, and we're particularly fond of them. Of course, the US management demanded some changes for the American market...

The vehicle we'll be exporting looks like the result of a one-night-stand between a ute and the batmobile. It's the ute 'Robocop' would drive. They've added so many "shoulder-pads for cars" that they could barely spare any space for the cargo area. Anyone who buys this ute must have a lot of inadequacies to over-compensate for.

And when no-one buys the things, GM management will lay off another few thousand production workers, award themselves another few million in bonuses, and cry into their champagne while they blame the bloody Japanese.

--------------------If you watch 'The History Of NASA' backwards, it's about a space agency that has no manned spaceflight capability, then does low-orbit flights, then lands on the Moon.Posts: 10681 | From: Melbourne, Australia | Registered: Oct 2002
| IP: Logged

posted February 17, 2008 11:11
We had a closing here not so long ago. The Ford plant in St. Paul where they made the Ford Ranger was closed. I knew a lot of people that worked there. My Uncle was laid off after about 20 years of working there. He still gets the Ford employee discount.

All the Car manufacturing plants are moving to Mexico. My car (Ford Focus) was built there. I think they really need to move the plants back. Pretty soon there will be no labor jobs left in the US and there is no way we can sustain a high level of living without the infrastructure that made this country so great to begin with. I would rather see a GM/Dalmer Chrysler/Ford plant move back then all these Jap car companies that keep expanding here.

--------------------There's nothing wrong with me, This is how I'm supposed to be.Posts: 1449 | From: Where I am is very relative to my location at that time. | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged

Becuase toyotas contain a higher percentage of parts made in the united states than all EDIT: most the US automakers. Even if the final assembly is in the US. I'm looking for the NYT article I read that in.

This means buying a toyota supports the middle class in america and the rich in japan.

And buying american supports the middle class in mexico or where-ever, and the rich in america.$

I'm just saying, I suppport the globalization of manufacturing. I think it will bring human rights to places that don't have it. Though if america wants to survive, tehy must be like Germany where expertise is kept in the country and sold.

America must become the coutry that designs everything that is built in China and Mexico. Simple math shows trying to protect US manufacturing is just prolonging death. You cannot expect to pay the workers that build and auto 40k a year unless you can sell your autos for 50k or more. (See BMW). to wich many reply, I can get a new BMW for less than 50k, but that is only in the american market where cars have to be so cheap.

--------------------"If they're not gonna make a distinction between Muslims and violent extremists, then why should I take the time to distinguish between decent, fearful white people and racists?"

posted February 18, 2008 07:44
_____________________________ Ashitaka I have to agree Toyota does buy from the best suppliers (within cost constrainsts). Their biggest gain over UAW manufactuers is that they do not have large retiree costs or medical yet, they will eventually have to start feeding that fund in time unless the US government takes a serious look at Universal Health care as a way of making the US more competitive.